Pantone’s 2016 Color of the Year is actually 2 colors: Rose Quartz and Serenity. See how they can work in every room of the home, for a trendy décor.

December is always a good time for color lovers. Every paint company declares its “color of the year”. But my favourite will always be Pantone’s. When I trained in fashion marketing, we were told to always keep an eye on Pantone’s various offerings, because it’s the most influential color organization in the world.

If you are planning a renovation this year, you might want to have a look at this year’s unusual color–unusual as it’s the first time Pantone actually chooses two colors. The shades are Rose Quartz, a soft pink that’s composed yet compelling, and Serenity, a sky blue that is calming and spiritual.

Kitchen in Rose Quartz and Serenity

A kitchen using those colors will certainly be unusual, but definitely beautiful. It will be a calming space to cook for your family and friends and to develop meal-related rituals that will help you reconnect with your loved ones.

Rose Quartz and Serenity are all about letting go of our crazy busy lives and taking a breather, taking the time to get away from our devices and reconnect with the things that really matter. What better place than the kitchen to do this?

Living room in Rose Quartz and Serenity

Let’s not get attached to gender labels. Pantone explains that Rose Quartz and Serenity express the fluidity of gender and today’s efforts to avoid “feminine” and “masculine” labels and expectations. So, although many of you may find this kind of living room on the feminine side, don’t discount the power of a gender-bending decor to question assumptions and break stereotypes.

Contemporary Living Room by New York Interior Designers & Decorators Anthony Baratta LLC

Interestingly, in the Victoria era, pink was considered a masculine color, and blue a feminine one. Gender associations change with time and cultures; when’s the last time you broke away from what’s socially acceptable and chose what you really wanted?

Bathroom in Rose Quartz and Serenity

Decorate a bathroom for everyone in the family with Rose Quartz and Serenity. The pink is playful and youthful, and the blue is calming and grounding. And depending on what kinds of shapes and materials you use, it can be totally appropriate for adults too!

Don’t be afraid to use slightly darker shades of Rose Quartz and Serenity if it suits your decor better. You can play with the monochromatic look this way. The essence and meaning of the shades won’t be lost even if the colors are a bit more saturated.

Bedroom in Rose Quartz and Serenity

In the bedroom, those two shades together bring a perfect balance of feminine and masculine. It’s great for couples, for sure, but also for single people! Single women will certainly like the colors, but I can see many men enjoying a mostly blue bedroom with pink highlights.

You can work in a lot of styles with these colors, from casual beach style to modern minimalist. You can soften hard, square shapes with pastels, making contemporary décor warm and accessible.

A bedroom in Rose Quartz and Serenity will become a haven of calm and meditative repose. It will take you away from your daily worries and let you relax for a deep, restful sleep.

More ideas for Rose Quartz and Serenity

If you’d like to combine these two shades with complementary colors, they can work really well with silver greys, purples, greens and yellows. For warmth, add coral oranges and earthy browns. Turquoise shades also match quite nicely.

Use Rose Quartz and Serenity when you need a space that allows for calm, distraction-free thinking and interactions with your friends and family. These colors will encourage a more mindful approach to life: disconnecting the devices, picking up a book, calling a friend for a long conversation, or simply sitting and meditating.

How do you feel about Pantone’s choice this year? Do you feel like you need more space for breathing in your life? Would these colors help you with this? Let us know in the comments!

Anabelle is a freelance writer, writing teacher and blogger. She spends a lot of time at home, so she likes to make sure that it's cozy and nice, especially in her reading nook. In her free time, Anabelle knits, walks and learns how to write stories.